Falling For Apples

Autumn Harvest Ripe For The Picking

September 25, 2002|By PRUE SALASKY Daily Press

The crunch of a fresh apple matches the crisp fall days of the fruit's harvest in Virginia. Abundant despite this year's unsympathetic weather, and unarguably healthy, apples are ripening in local orchards.

Apples are one of the few seasonal fruits that hold up well to storage and shipping. Hence, they're not only available year-round but their taste remains true. Only someone reared in an orchard could distinguish between a Red Delicious from Washington state shipped east weeks ago, and one fresh-plucked from a tree in the back yard.

The advantage to in-season shopping, then, is in finding the varieties that thrive in overlapping sequence here in Virginia. The harvest follows a pre-dictable calendar: It starts in August with Galas and Ginger Golds, follows with Red and Gold Delicious in September, and continues on into early November with the late-ripening Granny Smiths and Fujis, both New Zealand natives. Added to that there's the pleasure of stopping at farm stands and markets to buy them by the bushel, along with other seasonal produce, or spending a day in the country soaking up apple lore at the numerous festivals that celebrate the fall crop.

Local fruit-sellers who don't grow their own, like Wood's in Hampton, truck in the freshly harvested varieties from the mountains, where the vast majority of Virginia's apples are grown. Altogether the state has 18,000 acres of apples spread among 250 commercial farms producing eight to 10 million bushels annually. Of these, 70 percent go to processing, but that still leaves plenty for the fresh market.

Every commercially available apple lends itself -- after a quick rinse -- to out-of-hand eating, which makes it the perfect portable snack.

Apples agree with almost every other food and can be prepared in any number of ways, both savory and sweet. Fried apples make a great accompaniment to pork. Applesauce can be a cooling contrast to beef or serve as a low-calorie oil substitute and moisturizer for a cake. Apples are delicious added to baked squash or sweet potato casseroles.

In muffins, breads, pastries and pies, apples can be mixed with berries or hold their own solo. Sweeten them with sugar or make them spicy with curry. Toss them into soups and stews. Whether baked, fried, broiled or stewed, apples provide a never-ending array of no-fail dishes. And don't forget the all-American classics, like crisps, cobblers and apple pie.

All are part of the apple's own melting pot.

This recipe is from "In the Sweet Kitchen" by Regan Daley.

GALA APPLE FRITTERS WITH A FRESH CIDER SYRUP

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 large eggs, separated

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 to 4 cups vegetable oil, for deep-frying

4 large fresh Gala apples, or other firm, sweet eating apple

Confectioner's sugar, sifted, for dusting

Apple cider syrup: 4 cups non-alcoholic apple cider. Bring to a boil in a non-reactive pan and boil until reduced to about 3/4 cup. Cool to room temperature. The syrup will thicken as it cools.

Sift the dry ingredients into a medium-sized bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the milk and melted butter to blend. Gradually whisk egg mixture into dry ingredients, keeping the batter smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let batter rest for about 30 minutes.

Slowly heat oil in a deep fryer of a large, heavy Dutch oven to a temperature of 375 degrees. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks and gently fold into the rested batter. Core the apples (peel only if desired); slice into rings about 1/4-inch thick and discard ends. Place the rings of one apple in the batter. Coat each slice well and lower one at a time into the hot oil.

Fry the rings for about 3 or 4 minutes, turning once for even cooking. When the slices are a deep golden-brown on both sides, transfer them with a slotted spoon to a platter covered with paper towels. Dust the fritters with confectioner's sugar and drizzle with warm syrup. Repeat with remaining slices. Eat hot.

This recipe is from "The Professional Chef" by The Culinary Institute of America.

APPLE PIE

Double pie crust

2 1/4 ounces granulated sugar

1 1/2 ounces brown sugar

1/2 ounce tapioca

1/2 ounce cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 pound Granny Smith apples, sliced

1 pound Golden Delicious apples, sliced

3/4 fluid ounce lemon juice

1/2 ounce butter

Roll out the bottom crust and line a 10-inch pie pan. Trim away any excess. Combine the sugars and seasonings. Add the sliced apples and toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the apples and toss briefly. Pile the apples in the pie plate, mounding them higher in the center than on the sides. Dot apples with butter.

Roll out the top crust and cut a vent in it. Transfer to the filled pie. Seal the top and bottom crusts by crimping them together. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes.